The Storm

Struck While Surfing

"Another test?" I groaned, slumping back in my chair. "Yeah, aren't you excited?" my best friend Alex Snow replied, a teasing glint in her dark forest green eyes. I rolled my eyes, knowing she was just trying to lighten the mood.

"No, I just want to go surfing and have some fun."

"You can go after school, like always," she said, her tone plain yet reassuring.

"Okay, let's just get this over with," I sighed, taking a deep breath before turning to my test. As I stared down at the paper, the words seemed to blur together. I glanced over at Alex, who was already halfway through the written test. I couldn't help but admire her focus; she was so different from me in that respect.

Alex didn't look like a nerd—she had long, curly black hair that framed her face beautifully and a style that could easily fit in with the popular crowd. But she chose to hang out with me, and I couldn't be more grateful for that. Despite her beauty, she was down-to-earth, and that made her even more appealing.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally finished the test, my brain feeling fried. I leaned back in my chair, exhausted. I've always hated sleeping; I had too much energy and strange dreams, sometimes even nightmares. Alex had the same problem, so I figured we'd find a way to deal with it together.

I woke up to the sensation of Alex poking my shoulder. "What do you want from me? Cruel world?" I groaned.

"We need to go, sleepyhead!" she insisted, her voice a mix of urgency and amusement.

I blinked, disoriented, then looked up at the clock. The end of the day bell had rung, and freedom awaited me. "Freedom!" I yelled as I bolted through the doors, leaving Alex in my dust.

"Wait, Stor—!" she tried to yell, but I was already sprinting toward the beach, adrenaline pumping through me. The waves crashed against the shore, calling to me. I grabbed my surfboard from behind the rental shop, its familiar weight comforting in my hands.

Looking back, I saw Alex hustling to get her towel and a book—her idea of relaxing while I surfed. I grinned at her, then dashed into the water, feeling the cool embrace of the ocean envelop me as I paddled out.

"Come on, the water's nice and cool!" I shouted back, feeling invincible as the sun shone down on us.

"Stormy, wait!" Alex yelled, but I barely heard her over the roar of the waves. I was already in my element, focused solely on the thrill of catching the perfect wave.

Suddenly, I noticed dark clouds rolling in, the sky turning ominous. The sun disappeared, replaced by a threatening gray. Panic surged through me. "The sun is shin—" My voice faltered as I realized it was a thunderstorm approaching fast.

I began to swim toward the shore, my heart racing. I could hear Alex yelling for me to hurry. "Hurry!" she screamed, her voice filled with concern. But before I could reach safety, a tingling sensation washed over me, and a metallic taste filled my mouth.

And then everything went black.